动态歧义图知觉中的瞳孔反射和眼动扫视行为

歧义图的双稳态知觉是一种非常有趣的视觉现象,但对其机制还不十分清楚.采用"运动产生的结构"(structurefrom-motion)的歧义图和无歧义的对照图,我们研究了这一问题.被试者在报告对歧义图和无歧义图的知觉发生翻转时,其瞳孔都扩张,而且在翻转之后都达到峰值;与无歧义图条件下不同,在报告知觉翻转前,歧义图条件下的瞳孔要明显小于均值,而在瞳孔扩张达到峰值之后,瞳孔仍然明显大于均值.这些结果说明知觉翻转后的瞳孔扩张是一个表达被试知觉状态已改变的指标.而对歧义图和无歧义图刺激的瞳孔反射的差异,可能反映了由歧义图所产生知觉翻转的神经信号和知觉状态的内源性.另外,被试眼动扫视的方向会随着运动轴的变化呈现不同的扫视分布模式,但在歧义图与无歧义图之间分布模式是一致的,这不仅表明被试从歧义图中感知到了与无歧义图同样的信息,也表明瞳孔反射变化与双稳态知觉变化相关的结论具有可靠性.本文对歧义图双稳态知觉的视觉机制提供了新的认识.     

Expression Profile of the Schistosoma japonicum Degradome Reveals Differential Protease Expression Patterns and Potential Anti-schistosomal Intervention Targets

Blood fluke proteases play pivotal roles in the processes of invasion, nutrition acquisition, immune evasion, and other host-parasite interactions. Hundreds of genes encoding putative proteases have been identified in the recently published schistosome genomes. However, the expression profiles of these proteases in Schistosoma species have not yet been systematically analyzed. We retrieved and culled the redundant protease sequences of Schistosoma japonicum, Schistosoma mansoni, Echinococcus multilocularis, and Clonorchis sinensis from public databases utilizing bioinformatic approaches. The degradomes of the four parasitic organisms and Homo sapiens were then comparatively analyzed. A total of 262 S. japonicum protease sequences were obtained and the expression profiles generated using whole-genome microarray. Four main clusters of protease genes with different expression patterns were identified: proteases up-regulated in hepatic schistosomula and adult worms, egg-specific or predominantly expressed proteases, cercaria-specific or predominantly expressed proteases, and constantly expressed proteases. A subset of protease genes with different expression patterns were further validated using real-time quantitative PCR. The present study represents the most comprehensive analysis of a degradome in Schistosoma species to date. These results provide a firm foundation for future research on the specific function(s) of individual proteases and may help to refine anti-proteolytic strategies in blood flukes.     

MAVS-MKK7-JNK2 Defines a Novel Apoptotic Signaling Pathway during Viral Infection

Viral infection induces innate immunity and apoptosis. Apoptosis is an effective means to sacrifice virus-infected host cells and therefore restrict the spread of pathogens. However, the underlying mechanisms of this process are still poorly understood. Here, we show that the mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS/VISA/Cardif/IPS-1) is critical for SeV (Sendai virus)-induced apoptosis. MAVS specifically activates c-Jun N-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) but not other MAP kinases. Jnk2−/− cells, but not Jnk1−/− cells, are unable to initiate virus-induced apoptosis and SeV further fails to trigger apoptosis in MAPK kinase 7 (MKK7) knockout (Mkk7−/−) cells. Mechanistically, MAVS recruits MKK7 onto mitochondria via its 3D domain, which subsequently phosphorylates JNK2 and thus activates the apoptosis pathway. Consistently, Jnk2−/− mice, but not Jnk1−/− mice, display marked inflammatory injury in lung and liver after viral challenge. Collectively, we have identified a novel signaling pathway, involving MAVS-MKK7-JNK2, which mediates virus-induced apoptosis and highlights the indispensable role of mitochondrial outer membrane in host defenses.     

白藜芦醇通过降低galectin-3的表达抑制宫颈癌SiHa细胞的增殖并促进其凋亡

目的：探讨白藜芦醇对人宫颈癌SiHa细胞增殖和凋亡的影响及galectin-3在其中的作用。方法：以体外培养的人宫颈癌SiHa细胞为研究对象,实验分为对照组、白藜芦醇处理组及[白藜芦醇＋galectin-3（5、10、20μg/mL）]共5组,分别给予生理盐水、300μmol/L白藜芦醇及[300μmol/L白藜芦醇＋Galectin-3（5、10、20μg/mL）]处理。48小时后,分别收集各组细胞,采用MTT法检测细胞的增殖情况,Caspase-3活性试剂盒测定细胞的凋亡情况,Western Blot技术测定细胞内galectin-3的蛋白表达水平。结果：300μmol/L的白藜芦醇明显抑制SiHa细胞的增殖,并显著增加其凋亡水平,同时减少了细胞内galectin-3的蛋白表达。在白藜芦醇处理的同时,给予5、10及20μg/mL的Galectin-3,随着Galectin-3蛋白浓度的增加,SiHa细胞的增殖抑制率逐渐降低,凋亡水平也逐渐下降,但是VEGF-R3受体的磷酸化水平却逐渐升高。结论：白藜芦醇通过降低galectin-3的表达抑制宫颈癌SiHa细胞的增殖并促进其凋亡。     

白藜芦醇通过降低galectin-3 的表达抑制宫颈癌SiHa细胞的增殖并促进其凋亡

目的：探讨白藜芦醇对人宫颈癌SiHa 细胞增殖和凋亡的影响及galectin-3 在其中的作用。方法：以体外培养的人宫颈癌 SiHa 细胞为研究对象,实验分为对照组、白藜芦醇处理组及[白藜芦醇+galectin-3(5、10、20 ug/mL)]共5 组,分别给予生理盐水、 300 umol/L白藜芦醇及[300 umol/L白藜芦醇+Galectin-3 (5、10、20 ug/mL)]处理。48 小时后,分别收集各组细胞,采用MTT法检 测细胞的增殖情况,Caspase-3 活性试剂盒测定细胞的凋亡情况,Western Blot技术测定细胞内galectin-3 的蛋白表达水平。结果： 300 umol/L的白藜芦醇明显抑制SiHa 细胞的增殖,并显著增加其凋亡水平,同时减少了细胞内galectin-3 的蛋白表达。在白藜芦 醇处理的同时,给予5、10 及20 ug/mL 的Galectin-3,随着Galectin-3 蛋白浓度的增加,SiHa 细胞的增殖抑制率逐渐降低,凋亡水 平也逐渐下降,但是VEGF-R3 受体的磷酸化水平却逐渐升高。结论：白藜芦醇通过降低galectin-3 的表达抑制宫颈癌SiHa 细胞 的增殖并促进其凋亡。     

Enhanced biotransformation of dehydroepiandrosterone to 3β,7α,15α-trihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one with Gibberella intermedia CA3-1 by natural oils addition

Dihydroxylation of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an essential step in the synthesis of many important pharmaceutical intermediates. However, the solution to the problem of low biohydroxylation conversion in the biotransformation of DHEA has yet to be found. The effects of natural oils on the course of dihydroxylation of DHEA to 3β,7α,15α-trihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one (7α,15α-diOH-DHEA) were studied. With rapeseed oil (2 %, v/v) addition, the bioconversion efficiency was improved, and the 7α,15α-diOH-DHEA yield was increased by 40.8 % compared with that of the control at DHEA concentration of 8.0 g/L. Meantime, the ratio of 7α,15α-diOH-DHEA to 7α-OH-DHEA was also increased by 4.5 times in the rapeseed oil-containing system. To explain the mechanism underlying the increase of 7α,15α-diOH-DHEA yield, the effects of rapeseed oil on the pH of the bioconversion system, the cell growth and integrity of Gibberella intermedia CA3-1, as well as the membrane composition were systematically studied. The addition of rapeseed oil enhanced the substrate dispersion and maintained the pH of the system during bioconversion. Cells grew better with favorable integrity. The fatty acid profile of G. intermedia cells revealed that rapeseed oil changed the cell membrane composition and improved cell membrane permeability for lipophilic substrates.     

Investigation of ptsG gene in response to xylose utilization in Corynebacterium glutamicum

Corynebacterium glutamicum strains NC-2 were able to grow on xylose as sole carbon sources in our previous work. Nevertheless, it exhibited the major shortcoming that the xylose consumption was repressed in the presence of glucose. So far, regarding C. glutamicum, there are a number of reports on ptsG gene, the glucose-specific transporter, involved in glucose metabolism. Recently, we found ptsG had influence on xylose utilization and investigated the ptsG gene in response to xylose utilization in C. glutamicum with the aim to improve xylose consumption and simultaneously utilized glucose and xylose. The ptsG-deficient mutant could grow on xylose, while exhibiting noticeably reduced growth on xylose as sole carbon source. A mutant deficient in ptsH, a general PTS gene, exhibited a similar phenomenon. When complementing ptsG gene, the mutant ΔptsG-ptsG restored the ability to grow on xylose similarly to NC-2. These indicate that ptsG gene is not only essential for metabolism on glucose but also important in xylose utilization. A ptsG-overexpressing recombinant strain could not accelerate glucose or xylose metabolism. When strains were aerobically cultured in a sugar mixture of glucose and xylose, glucose and xylose could not be utilized simultaneously. Interestingly, the ΔptsG strain could co-utilize glucose and xylose under oxygen-deprived conditions, though the consumption rate of glucose and xylose dramatically declined. It was the first report of ptsG gene in response to xylose utilization in C. glutamicum.     

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of 10-methanesulfonyl-DDACTHF, 10-methanesulfonyl-5-DACTHF, and 10-methylthio-DDACTHF as potent inhibitors of GAR Tfase and the de novo purine biosynthetic pathway

The synthesis and evaluation of 10-methanesulfonyl-DDACTHF (1), 10-methanesulfonyl-5-DACTHF (2), and 10-methylthio-DDACTHF (3) as potential inhibitors of glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GAR Tfase) and aminoimidazole carboxamide ribonucleotide transformylase (AICAR Tfase) are reported. The compounds 10-methanesulfonyl-DDACTHF (1, K(i) = 0.23 microM), 10-methanesulfonyl-5-DACTHF (2, K(i) = 0.58 microM), and 10-methylthio-DDACTHF (3, K(i) = 0.25 microM) were found to be selective and potent inhibitors of recombinant human GAR Tfase. Of these, 3 exhibited exceptionally potent, purine sensitive growth inhibition activity (3, IC50 = 100 nM) against the CCRF-CEM cell line being 3-fold more potent than Lometrexol and 30-fold more potent than the parent, unsubstituted DDACTHF, whereas 1 and 2 exhibited more modest growth inhibition activity (1, IC50 = 1.0 microM and 2, IC50 = 2.0 microM).     

Oligochitosan induced Brassica napus L. production of NO and H2O2 and their physiological function

NO (nitric oxide) and H₂O₂ (hydrogen peroxide) are important signaling molecule in plants. Brassica napus L. was used to understand oligochitosan inducing production of NO (nitric oxide) and H₂O₂ (hydrogen peroxide) and their physiological function. The result showed that the production of NO and H₂O₂ in epidermal cells of B. napus L. was induced with oligochitosan by fluorescence microscope. And it was proved that there was an interaction between NO and H₂O₂ with L-NAME (N^G-nitro-l-arg-methyl eater), which is an inhibitor of NOS (NO synthase) in mammalian cells that also inhibits plant NO synthesis, and CAT (catalase), which is an important H₂O₂ scavenger, respectively. It was found that NO and H₂O₂ induced by oligochitosan took part in inducing reduction in stomatal aperture and LEA protein gene expression of leaves of B. napus L. All these results showed that oligochitosan have potential activities of improving resistance to water stress.